1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to the art of electrical connector and more particularly to an electrical connector having fulcrums on its engaging portion for ensuring proper connection with a complementary electrical connector even engage the complementary electrical connector along an inaccurate direction rotate a certain angle from the definite coupling direction.
2. Description of Related Art
Low profile connectors, such as those used in SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable) and SFP-like applications are desired in electronic devices in which space is a premium and thus it is difficult to control the impedance by modifying the spacing and size of the terminals in a reduced-size connector housing. When the terminals are modified, it becomes difficult to retain all of the mechanical functions of the connector, such as terminal retention and engagement while tuning the impedance of the connector. It is also difficult, due to the small size of the SFP-style connectors to provide the connector with some sort of keying function that will ensure proper mating with an opposing mating connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,198,519 issued to Regnier, et al. on Apr. 3, 2007 discloses an invention directed to edge card connectors in which the connector impedance may be controlled by shaping of the connector terminals and in which the connector includes a means for ensuring proper connection with an opposing, mating connector. In this invention a surface mount connector providing a connection between a circuit board and an opposing electronic element, for high speed data transfer application. The circuit board having a plurality of conductive traces disposed thereon, and the opposing electronic element including a male portion having a plurality of conductive members disposed thereon. The connector has an insulative housing with a circuit card-receiving slot disposed along a front face thereof. A plurality of conductive terminals are supported by the housing so that contact portions of the terminals extend into the card slot. The terminals are supported on opposite faces of the connector housing, specifically the top and bottom faces thereof, and each of the terminals includes a tail portion, a contact portion and a retention portion that engages the connector housing so that the contact portions are cantilevered in their extent within the housing. The terminals are divided into two distinct sets of terminals that are spaced apart from each other on opposite sides of the circuit card-receiving slot of the connector housing. The housing includes a hollow recess formed on its bottom that opens to the front of the connector housing. This recess serves as a keyway that may receive a male portion of an opposing mating connector to ensure the mating connector is oriented properly before engagement.
Usually, when the opposing electronic element is inserted into the connector along a definite direction, the male portion of the opposing electronic element will properly received in the receptacle portion of the connector, yet if the inserting direction is pivot an angle from the definite direction, a collision will emerge between the male portion and the receptacle portion. For the opposing electronic element has a long handle body, the principle of leverage tells us, a large force will be exerted over a small distance at the male portion by exerting only a small force over a greater distance at the handle body, so damage will come out due to the large force collision.
Hence, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.